This month's Nano went well, but so much of it was rewriting at this stage I don't have any ugly draft excerpts from "To Those Who Seek Sirens" to share! For shame. Instead, here's a little bit about the world the story takes place in.
Tag: Writing
Music for Writing: Coast of Gold
Woahwoahwoah. I discovered a new metal group. Stop and pay attention.These guys are called Thaurorod. This album not only features the titular song, "Coast of Gold," but also such gems as "The Commonwealth Lives," "Cannibal Island," and "24601."
Character Disaster Chart
Today I'm here to bring you a tongue-in-cheek (but surprisingly helpful!) way to entertain yourself during isolation. This is the Character Disaster Chart!
“To Those Who Seek Sirens” Collection
Here's the entire collection of November's posted excerpts, in order and with links.
Day 31: Siren Tide
Lonan braced his hands on both sides of the nearest hollow, staring into it with all his determination. Porous rock stabbed his palms. The blackness ahead shimmered with sound. Garbled nothing-lyrics vibrated below his ear and jaw. All around him, Lonan was surrounded by the rushing Ream.
Day 30: Ship’s Stew
Cyprus shoved Shay to move. The other boy gave the pirate his best cheeky grin, and Halse spooned out a dribble of thin, greenish stew for him along with some misshapen bits of meat.
Day 29: Sleeping Dead
This was the Serafina that Lonan knew best—the Serafina after the Porfirios died. Afraid of its own coasts but too poor to move. Dreading the change of seasons. Quietly taking Mistress Leroy’s sleeping herbs and forgetting the names of its dead.
Day 28: Foreign Market
“Lonan, be reasonable, boy,” Neils extended a placating hand toward him, as if to divert a rockslide. “We’ve all taken a blow today. There’s no use in taking another. I’ve done some sailing in my day, and no ship of Serafina’s could catch a ship like that captain’s.”
Day 27: Dark Magic
Kaz’s fingers clamped down on the back of the boys’ necks. His grasp was icy, and black shot through Cyprus’s vision. That iciness spread from the point of contact, sinking dark magic deep into his muscles. Cyprus didn't know if he'd collapsed or frozen in place standing.
The Fairy Door
Every day before breakfast, Mariela crept out to see the fairy’s maze. She took her mother’s old mirror from the top of its mahogany dresser, blowing off the scraps of crumbling wallpaper, and swiped a scone from the cook’s first batch of the day.